inspiration
The Benefits of Skipping!
Did you know skipping rope may improve your heart health, physical coordination, and bone density. It’s also a great way to lose belly fat and ease anxiety! According to Nike, jumping rope is a great way to get a full-body workout https://www.nike.com/a/benefits-of-jump-rope
Of course, jumping rope may not be in your best interest if you are of a certain age and/or have joints that don’t appreciate the pounding. I doubt The Dahlonega Sisters will be taking up that sport anytime soon. Well, Mutzi McGilvray might…but she is a spunky character with an abundance of energy.
If you don’t know who she is, you’re in luck. Check out the first book in The Dahlonega Sisters, The Gold Miner Ring for $.99. (Available in the USA only) https://www.amazon.com/Dahlonega-Sisters-Gold-Miner-Ring/dp/1734038306.
While reading may not help you lose weight or strengthen your bones, following these sisters on their delightful journey might ease your anxieties and make you chuckle at their sister fussing.
Mutzi, Marge, and Rose Ellen are joining forces with Chuck Hansen to open Skipping Stone Lodge, New Beginnings. The eBook and paperback are now available on Amazon. All other venues should be available within a few days.
https://www.amazon.com/Skipping-Stone-Lodge-New-Beginnings/dp/173403839X
Chuck Hansen is ready to pay it forward. Only three years earlier, fresh out of prison and stuck in a downward spiral, his long-lost sisters Rose Ellen, Marge, and Mutzi appeared, giving him hope and a new life. Chuck is determined to repay their kindness and prove to the town of Dahlonega who he really is. His sisters rally to support him when he proposes creating a peaceful sanctuary called Skipping Stone Lodge.
But one impulsive decision to help a troubled young man puts Chuck right back where he started—behind bars. In a flash, everything he’s worked for is on the line. Can he count on his newly found sisters to help him rewrite his future, or is this one mistake too many?
Thank you for following my posts and for reading my novels. Your comments, messages, and book reviews are always appreciated.
Sincerely,
Diane
We’re Back!
Absence makes the heart grow founder. That’s what I’ve heard. I hope that’s true because I’m eager to reconnect with all of you. It has been quite a while but I did promise not to fill your inbox with too many posts.
So, who are we? Well, me of course, and you’ll have to keep reading to find out who else.
I had some exciting writing news this year when Writers Digest informed me my essay Threads of Life, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Memoirs/Personal Essay category of the 93rd Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. There were 3,571 submissions in this year’s competition, spanning 44 countries! I was pretty pumped.
A few days later, I learned my last novel, Burning Embers Book One, Spark to Flame, won second place in best fiction in the Missouri Writers Guild Annual Contest. If you haven’t had a chance to read it, the eBook is free for those with Kindle Unlimited. It is also available in paperback. Here’s a link https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Flame-Burning-Embers-Book-ebook/dp/B0CJDBBGJS
Although I’ve spent most of the year writing, I did manage to squeeze in a two-week trip to Europe. What an amazing and educational journey! My daughter and sister-in-law joined me and we flew to Rome where we spent a few days touring the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s square. Of course, we also walked inside the Colosseum! Wow!
From Rome, we boarded a Carnival cruise ship which took us to Kusadasi Turkey, four ports in Greece (Mykonos, Santorini, Athens, and Katakolon) and then onto Messina Sicily, Pompei Naples, and back to Rome. Here’s another pic from Santorini.
Five hundred and eighty-eight steps to get to the top. Fortunately, they have a cable car too.
I could fill this newsletter with dozens more photos from my trip, but instead, I want to stay focused on my big news. The “We’re back” part of my title.
Fans of The Dahlonega Sisters voiced disappointment when the series ended. Well, guess what? Mutzi, Marge, and Rose Ellen are returning in a new series titled Skipping Stone Lodge, New Beginnings.
You are the first to hear about it and if you read further, you’ll get a glimpse of the beautiful cover. Here’s a little hint what the story is about.
Chuck Hansen is ready to pay it forward. Only three years earlier, fresh out of prison and stuck in a downward spiral, his long-lost sisters Rose Ellen, Marge, and Mutzi appeared, giving him hope and a new life. Chuck is determined to repay their kindness and prove to the town of Dahlonega who he really is. His sisters rally to support him when he proposes creating a peaceful sanctuary called Skipping Stone Lodge.
But one impulsive decision to help a troubled young man puts Chuck right back where he started—behind bars. In a flash, everything he’s worked for is on the line. Can he count on his newly found sisters to help him rewrite his future, or is this one mistake too many?
Here is the cover. Wouldn’t you love to spend a little time there? I’d never want to leave!
My original release date of November 1, 2024, may be delayed until December 1, 2024, but I’ll keep you informed.
If you’ve read this far, please take another minute to leave a reply. Even a thumbs-up keeps me motivated and might win you a copy of Spark to Flame!
Thanks for following me and giving me a reason to continue writing. I’d love to hear what has kept you busy all summer. Drop me a line on the blog or on Facebook! I always take time to respond.
Diane
Baskets, Bubbles, and Books
How can it be August already? What happened to April, May, and June? Did I sleep through them?
No. I did not. When I wasn’t writing, I was weaving. My daughter, Laura, and I just returned from the Missouri Basket Weaving Convention in Independence, Missouri. What a great organization! So many talented instructors, volunteers, and happy weavers all gathered together to create magic.
The top right is called Seashells and was designed by Debbie Elston Hurd. The other three were designed by Mary Price. Top left is Shadow Box. Next is Sea Glass, and the bottom (my favorite) is Nautical Edge.
Five days with these fun-loving fabulous women was a welcomed break from writing. I took my laptop but didn’t take it out of the bag!
While the weeks/months have been slipping by, not much progress has been made by The Dahlonega Sisters, I keep in touch with them regularly and they assure me Skipping Stone Lodge should be completed soon. Actually, they knew I was distracted with another mission so they have been pretty quiet.
So where do the bubbles come in? I’ve got a bottle of champagne chilling in the refrigerator waiting to share some exciting news about my next book adventure.
Burning Embers Book One, Spark to Flame will make its appearance very soon! I’m working with a cover designer for my new romantic suspense series. My editor just returned my manuscript with the first round of edits. As some of you know, this romantic suspense novel which takes place in Colorado near a wild horse sanctuary has been in progress for many years. The bones were too good to bury so I’ve been rebuilding it piece by piece and it will finally be published by fall. I’ll share a sneak peek at the cover very soon. Thanks to all who have encouraged me to see it through.
Last but not least, I’m excited to be part of the Local Books and Brew Book Signing at Third Wheel Brewery in St. Peters, Missouri https://www.thirdwheelbrewing.com/ on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Award-winning authors will be available to answer questions and sign your books. Sarah Angleton, Pat Wahler, J.J. Zerrr, Tammy Lough, myself, and Tara Pedroley. Stop by and sample a cold beer while learning about an exciting new book club focused on local author books.
That’s it for now. Stay tuned for another post soon. Thanks for following my journey!
Chill Out with The Dahlonega Sisters
Hello, Readers!
I’m excited to announce that my book, The Dahlonega Sisters, The Gold Miner Ring will be available as part of a promotion on Smashwords for the month of July as part of their Annual Summer/Winter Sale! This is a chance to get the first book of the series for free, along with books from many other great authors, at a discount so you can get right to reading.
You will find the promo here starting on July 1, so save the link:
https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/
Please share this promo with friends and family. You can even forward this email to the avid readers in your life!
Thank you for your help and support!
PS. The fourth book in The Dahlonega Sisters series, Skipping Stone Lodge, is scheduled for publication later this year.
Happy reading!
No After Cruise Blues
I did it!
My first cruise and my first time outside of the USA. No fear. Just fun!
Recently, my daughter and I set sail for the Eastern Caribbean. What a fantastic experience!
Carnival Celebration
Laura impressed me with her travel knowledge and skills. If it were up to me, I’d still be standing in the wrong line at the airport trying to figure out how to get my luggage tags. She guided us quickly through a maze of travelers via the short TSA line and to our gate.
We arrived in Miami a day early to reduce the worry of a flight delay or cancellation. She’d arranged transportation from the hotel to the port the next morning , and before long, we were herded along with 5,000 other cruisers onto the ship. She’d selected a wonderful ocean view stateroom with a balcony.
The launch party certainly set the mood. Music, dancing, Caribbean Coladas-and a fun-loving cruise director.
I trailed my daughter like a little puppy the first two days afraid I’d get lost and never see her again. When I wasn’t trying to remember which of the nineteen decks held our room, the lido, and of course, the casino, I was challenged with figuring out forward, aft, port, and starboard.
All the walking helped offset the some of the weight gain from visiting the dozens of the food venues. Of course we had to test them all – well, most of them. We did splurge on the Fahrenheit 555 Steak House and Bonsai Teppanyaki, a Japanese steak house. So worth it!
Our first port stop was at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic where we experienced monkeys up close and personal at Monkeyland Punta Cana. It was a little unnerving as they climbed all over me, but I didn’t freak out and they were cute.
The following morning we arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Even though it was hot and humid, Laura and I hiked two and a half miles uphill to one of the historical forts. https://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm
Later that evening, we set sail for St. Maarten island and when we woke the next morning, we were already in port on the Dutch side ruled by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The other side is the French Republic. We spent the day browsing through shops, wading in the pristine waters, and lounging under an umbrella sipping cold beer.
The Celebration ship is the largest in Carnival’s fleet. At capacity, it can accommodate 6,5003 passengers plus 1,735 crew members. The enormous size impressed me as we passed numerous smaller cruise ships along the way. However, when we docked in port at St. Maarten next to the largest cruise ship in the world, Wonder of the Sea, I had to laugh.
Hopefully this is the first of many new experiences I’ll enjoy in this chapter of my life. I’m keeping an open mind and kicking fear to the curb! Meanwhile, stay tune for news about The Dahlonega Sisters. Coming soon!
I’d love to hear about your adventures. Drop me a line!
A Fresh Start to the New Year!
Happy New Year to all who read this! Wishing you peace, joy, and fulfillment of any long-held dreams.
Making annual resolutions—which seldom last longer than a few weeks—is not my thing. Life has a way of interrupting my best planned out schedule like losing weight or being more consistent in posting blogs. One thing for sure, my followers can’t complain about me flooding their inbox with too many posts.
While I try never to make promises I can’t/won’t keep, I do have a tendency to travel the backroads of my mind remembering the footsteps which caused me to stumble and the ones where I marched ahead.
With regret, I did not finish editing my romantic suspense novel, nor did I reach 50,000 words on the next Dahlonega Sisters novel during NANOWRIMO. I count both as stumbles since they are still works-in-progress which I’m hoping to publish in 2023.
While reviewing the positives and negatives, I was inspired to write about a mountain (okay, maybe it was a hill) I successfully climbed this year.
Fear.
It has always limited my world. I’ve never been bold or brave. Conforming to rules and expectations kept me out of trouble as a kid and for the most part, as an adult. I’m not timid, but I seldom risk venturing into the unknown, especially on my own. My husband of fifty-one year is even less adventurous. As such, the width of our world has been pretty limited.
However, we’ve often been very blessed to vacation across the United States with my brother and his wife. They skillfully and confidently take care of all the arrangements: hotel reservations, car rental, and mapping out all the sights to see. We merely get in their vehicle and enjoy the experience.
This year, my dear friend who now lives in Virginia, invited me to join her at a beach house in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. We’d talked about the possibility ever since she moved away. I’d promised to visit and to spend time at the beach with her. When the opportunity presented itself, I balked. The list of reasons why I shouldn’t go grew quickly: Hubby would be all alone. The cost of airline tickets and car rental would dent our savings. Too many commitments listed on my calendar.
Truth was, none of those things were the issue. It was fear.
Traveling alone freaked me out. I hadn’t flown in more than twelve years, hadn’t rented a car in nearly twenty, and even more important, I’d never driven for hours by myself to an unfamiliar location. I don’t even like to test drive a car when we are looking to buy it.
I’m not a “what if” person, but I sure spent a restless night praying for an answer and trying not to think of things that could go wrong.
The following morning, I woke with new-found confidence. I called my daughter, who travels frequently, and asked for her help. She selected the flight, arranged for a rental, and reassured me I could do this. Suddenly, excitement overtook the fear. I mapped out the driving route, researched the requirements and limitations for flying, and started packing.
Not once did I feel anxious or second guess my decision. There were no delays flying out, the rental car was a breeze, and my Garmin took me right to the driveway of the beach house. I felt like I’d released a new me.
We laughed. We cried. We made new memories. Then, we promised to do it again next year. And, I found a confidence that had escaped me for most of my life. Hubby survived alone. I didn’t get lost or end up in Timbuktu. I could do this!
When I got back home, still feeling pumped with confidence, I filled out applications for passports for my husband and myself. He may not ever use his, but I will. There are places I want to go to and things I want to see.
Shortly after I returned from vacation, my daughter booked for us on a Caribbean cruise which we will take in April 2023. Once I’ve gotten my feet wet on a ship and abroad, I hope to convince my husband to join me on another cruise or some other trip out of the country.
Fear is in my rearview mirror. I hope it stays there!
So here is to the start of a new year. May you face your fears and rise above them.
Blessings to all of you.
Diane
Taciturn
Some might call it procrastination; others think it’s neglect; perhaps it might be avoidance. I’ve been guilty of all three at times.
Today, I’m choosing to call my seven-month absence from posting on my blog as taciturn. Bartlett’s Roget’s Thesaurus covers my silence quite thoroughly. I refuse to comment on the weather, politics, or religion. My husband would dispute that assertion, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Actually, I’ve been busy doing what writers do. Writing!
After finishing the third book in The Dahlonega Sisters series, https://www.amazon.com/author/dianemhow
I decided to brush the dust off my very first (still unpublished) romantic suspense novel, Burning Embers. It was written during NaNoWriMo. If you aren’t familiar with this supportive writing organization, I encourage you to check it out. https://nanowrimo.org. I’m probably on my tenth round of edits, but I keep plugging away it and hope to see it published by fall of 2022.
Besides weaving stories, I weave baskets. Here are a few I’m getting ready to sell along with my books at a pop-up market at Third Wheel Brewery https://www.thirdwheelbrewing.com/ on May 7. A dozen vendors will display their handmade crafts just in time for Mother’s day. Come check it out and grab a bite to eat while sampling a cold brew. Win, win!
Last but not least, in honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sharing a picture of my Mom and sisters.
I miss her every day and I thank her for teaching me to be responsibe, generous, and unselfish. I will never be as good at it as she was, but I try.
I’m giving away a basket and book package. (sorry, USA only). All you need to do is comment on this post with a note about your mother or a mother figure who influenced your life. I’ll draw a name on May 8th and contact the winner for details.
Can’t wait to hear your stories.
The Eyes of March
Hello My Friends and Followers.
It’s been a long and challenging few months since I’ve posted. Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today to reflect and project.
Spring is close and I feel a renewed energy in the air. I hope I can share some positivity if you are struggling to find the beauty of the season. Let’s start with some visuals.
Bright cheerful flowers, brilliantly budding trees, azure blue skies. True masterpieces lifting my soul to a brighter place. Although I know rainy days, heavy grey clouds, and frightening storms are scattered throughout the season, I have a renewed determination to endure those days with faith, hope, and love.
I’m finally scheduled for my first COVID-19 vaccine this week and my husband has received both of his. Soon I will be able to visit friends and family with less fear of being infected by the virus.
My husband of 49 years, Wart-nicknamed by his grandfather for being a worry wart- made it through three months of cancer treatments and is doing better than expected thanks to his strong stamina, attentive doctors, and some TLC from me. While the emotional toll has been hard, his physical pain has been minimal. With a positive prognosis, a little more energy, and some warmer weather, he’ll be outside cutting grass and growing his tomato plants soon.
We’ve seen Hammie, our grand dog more than our daughter, Laura. Hope she’s ready for all the hugs she’s missed. I’ve got a year’s worth coming her way.
Hammie’s had to tolerate a bunch of them, but he doesn’t mind as long as he got a treat.
Spring brings a freshness that exceeds the cold, dark, winter days. Sometimes I have to remind myself that life is good. But, I know it is and I am blessed.
The new season brings thoughts of visiting family and friends, participating in outdoor adventures, and maybe even scheduling a face-to-face book signing.
Until then, you can order a copy of Veins of Gold at https://www.amazon.com/Dahlonega-Sisters-Veins-Gold/dp/1734038330
Enjoy the new season and have faith that spring will bring a renewed sense of hope. If I can help you in the journey, let me know. I’m here for you!
Love you!
Diane
New Book Release!
Time to snuggle up with a cup of hot cocoa, a warm blanket, and a heart-warming book!
The Dahlonega Sisters are back and ready to entertain!
Will digging up family secrets uncover bones best left buried?
Marge Ledbetter fears once she spits into the small vial and sends it off, nothing will be the same. But she must disprove the outrageous secret she’s been told by a dying woman before it becomes the latest gossip to spread throughout her quaint gold rush town, Dahlonega, Georgia.
Her older sister, Rose Ellen, who is a tad haughty, enthusiastically approves of the ancestry search in hopes of finding a famous relative to add to her bragging list.
Marge’s eccentric twin, Mutzi, vehemently disagrees, fearing the rumor she’s heard most of her life about her and Marge not being sisters is true.
Will the results disprove Marge’s tightly held secret or will The Dahlonega Sisters be faced with news that changes their family dynamics forever?
Veins of Gold
https://books2read.com/u/mvnnLJ and https://www.amazon.com/Dahlonega-Sisters-Veins-Gold-ebook/dp/B08NM337B3. Also available in paperback at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734038330.
Makes a great Holiday gift for friends and family. Enjoy!
Blessings to all!
Diane
Writing Silver Linings 